John Benedict Eden, Baron Eden of Winton, (15 September 1925 – 23 May 2020), known as Sir John Eden, 9th Baronet, from 1963 to 1983, was a British
Conservative Party
The Conservative Party is a name used by many political parties around the world. These political parties are generally right-wing though their exact ideologies can range from center-right to far-right.
Political parties called The Conservative P ...
politician who served as
Member of Parliament
A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...
for
Bournemouth West from 1954 to 1983.
Background
Eden was the son of Sir Timothy Calvert Eden and Edith Mary Prendergast.
He was educated at
Eton College
Eton College () is a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1440 by Henry VI under the name ''Kynge's College of Our Ladye of Eton besyde Windesore'',Nevill, p. 3 ff. intended as a sister institution to King's College, C ...
and
St Paul's School,
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...
, in the US. He served as a
Lieutenant
A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations.
The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...
with the
Rifle Brigade,
2nd Gurkha Rifles and the
Gilgit Scouts
The Gilgit Scouts constituted a paramilitary force of the Gilgit Agency in northern Jammu and Kashmir. They were raised by the government of British India in 1913, on behalf of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, to police the northern front ...
during the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. He was a nephew of
Sir Anthony Eden
Robert Anthony Eden, 1st Earl of Avon, (12 June 1897 – 14 January 1977) was a British Conservative Party politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1955 until his resignation in 1957.
Achieving rapid promo ...
(1897–1977), who served as prime minister from 1955 to 1957, and he succeeded his father Sir Timothy Calvert Eden to his
baronetcies in 1963. He was the
9th Baronet of West Auckland and the 7th Baronet of Maryland.
Career
After an unsuccessful attempt to contest the
1953 Paddington North by-election
The 1953 Paddington North by-election was held on 3 December 1953, after the resignation of the incumbent Labour MP Bill Field, who had failed to overturn a conviction for "importuning for immoral purposes". The seat was retained by the Labour ...
, Eden was first elected as a
Conservative
Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization i ...
Member of Parliament
A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...
(MP) for
Bournemouth West at the
1954 Bournemouth West by-election, which he would continue to represent from 1954 until 1983. When first elected, he was the
Baby of the House
Baby of the House is the unofficial title given to the youngest member of a parliamentary house. The term is most often applied to members of the British parliament from which the term originated. The title is named after the Father of the House ...
, the youngest member of the
House of Commons
The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. ...
. He was appointed to the
Privy Council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a state, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the mon ...
on 10 April 1972 and was created a
life peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the peerage whose titles cannot be inherited, in contrast to hereditary peers. In modern times, life peerages, always created at the rank of baron, are created under the Life Peerages ...
as Baron Eden of Winton, of
Rushyford
Rushyford is a village in County Durham, England. It is situated between Darlington and Durham, close to Newton Aycliffe and Chilton. About west of the village is Windlestone Hall, a 19th-century country house, historically the seat of the Ed ...
in the
County of Durham
The County Palatine of Durham and Sadberge, commonly referred to as County Durham or simply Durham, is a historic county in Northern England. Until 1889, it was controlled by powers granted under the Bishopric of Durham. The county and Northum ...
on 3 October 1983, following his retirement from the House of Commons. He retired from the House of Lords on 11 June 2015 under the provisions of the
House of Lords Reform Act 2014
The House of Lords Reform Act 2014 is an Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom. The Act was a private member's bill. It received Royal Assent on 14 May 2014. The Act allows members of the House of Lords to retire or resign – actions previousl ...
.
Following the death of
Lord Healey on 3 October 2015, Eden became the oldest surviving former MP with the earliest date of first election.
Appointments:
* Member of the House of Commons Estimates committee (1960–1964)
* Delegate to Council of Europe and West European Union (1960–1962)
* Delegate to NATO Technology (June–October 1970)
*
Minister of State for Industry (1970–1972)
*
Minister of Posts and Telecommunications (1972–1974)
* Member of the House of Commons Expenditure committee (1974–1976)
* Chairman of the Select Committee on EEC Legislation (1976–1979)
* Chairman of the Select Committee on Home Affairs (1980–1983)
* Chairman of the British Lebanese Association (1990–1998)
* Chairman of the
Royal Armouries Association (1986–1994)
* Member of Timken Company International Advisory Board
* Chairman of Lady Eden's Schools Ltd
Family life
He was twice married:
* 1) Belinda Jane Pascoe (1954 – divorced 1974); four children
**
The Honourable
''The Honourable'' (British English) or ''The Honorable'' (American English; see spelling differences) (abbreviation: ''Hon.'', ''Hon'ble'', or variations) is an honorific style that is used as a prefix before the names or titles of certain ...
Emily Rose Eden (born 1959)
** The Honourable Arabella Charlotte Eden (born 1960)
** The Honourable Sir Robert Frederick Calvert Eden (born 30 April 1964).
The 10th Baronet of West Auckland and 8th Baronet of Maryland.
** The Honourable John "Jack" Edward Morton Eden (born 1966). Heir presumptive to the baronetcies.
* 2) Margaret Ann Gordon (1977 – his death 2020). A former wife of the Earl of Perth.
Arms
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Eden, John Benedict
1925 births
2020 deaths
Baronets in the Baronetage of England
Baronets in the Baronetage of Great Britain
Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies
Conservative Party (UK) life peers
Rifle Brigade officers
Royal Gurkha Rifles officers
Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom
People educated at Eton College
UK MPs 1951–1955
UK MPs 1955–1959
UK MPs 1959–1964
UK MPs 1964–1966
UK MPs 1966–1970
UK MPs 1970–1974
UK MPs 1974
UK MPs 1974–1979
UK MPs 1979–1983
John Eden
Indian Army personnel of World War II
British Army personnel of World War II